Layton City Policy

Personnel Policy Manual

3512 - Workplace Violence Prevention

Policy

Layton City recognizes that a workplace safe from violence or the fear of violence is fundamental to the health and well being of employees and visitors alike. The policy of Layton City is that its employees and those who visit the City should work and visit in an environment free from physical attack, threats, and menacing or harassing behaviors. Physical attacks, threats, harassment, and property damage directed at or by City employees or visitors, either on or off City property, are expressly prohibited.

Employees are required to be respectful, cooperative and helpful towards their co-workers, the general public and other persons the employee is required to work with in conjunction with their employment. Employees are further required to refrain from acting in an abusive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing or obscene manner towards any employee or others with whom the employee comes in contact with during the course of business.

All weapons, including but not limited to firearms, explosives, knives, nunchaku (numchucks), mace, clubs etc. are prohibited in the workplace unless (1) they are approved by the Department Director as necessary to function in the course and scope of employment or (2) the employee has a valid permit issued by the State and has notified the Department Director and City Manager of this in writing. Employees are required to report all incidents of violence as explained below. Retaliation against an employee who reports or experiences workplace violence is prohibited. Employees who violate this policy will be subject to appropriate discipline, up to and including termination.

Definitions

As used in this policy, violence is defined to include the following:

Physical attack is an unwanted or hostile contact, such as hitting, fighting, pushing, shoving, or throwing objects.

Threat is a verbal or nonverbal indication of a present or future intention to cause physical or mental harm. Any expression of intent to cause physical or mental harm is considered to be a threat.

Harassment is behavior or communication designed or intended to intimidate, bully, menace, or frighten another person.

Property damage is behavior or acts that contribute to the destruction or damage of property.

Procedure

Any employee who experiences or witnesses such acts of violence as described above shall report it to their supervisor or department director immediately. If the supervisor or department directors are perpetrators of such conduct, it may be reported directly to the personnel officer, city attorney, assistant city manager, or city manager.

Any supervisor or any other person listed in paragraph 1 above who receives a complaint of violence, or who has reason to suspect that these acts or behaviors are occurring, must notify the police department, assistant city manager or city manager.

Upon being informed of an allegation of violence, the assistant city manager will coordinate with the police department who will investigate the matter.

Upon conclusion of the investigation, the department director(s) who is (are) involved, the Police Department, Human Resources, Legal, and the City Manager will determine how to respond. In the interim, the City will respond as it deems appropriate.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence doesn’t always stay at home when victims come to work. The workplace is one of the easiest places for an abuser to find the victim. The Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) estimates that one in four people are affected in some way by domestic violence.

Victims of domestic violence who worry they might be subject to retaliation at work are encouraged to notify their department director or the police department and provide a photograph of the abuser. The City will maintain the confidentiality of domestic violence circumstances as much as possible, and supervisors and staff will only be informed of complaints on a need-to-know basis. However, if safety concerns for other employees make this impossible, the employee will be notified in advance of any need to breach confidentiality.

Special arrangements may be considered by department directors to reduce the risk for employees who fear reprisal at work.

Reporting Workplace Violence

Complaints of threats of violence, acts of violence or retaliation that are in violation of the workplace violence policy should be reported to the Police Department (497-8300). All complaints will be accepted in writing or orally, and all complaints, anonymous or not, will be taken seriously and investigated.

In addition, any employee who has experienced or witnessed such acts has an obligation to report it immediately, to any of the following so the City may investigate and resolve the problem administratively: supervisor, department director, Assistant City Manager (336-3830), City Manager (336-3803), City Attorney (336-3592), Assistant City Attorney (336-3591), Prosecuting Attorney (336-3596), Human Resources Officer (336-3826), any member of the City Council or Mayor. Supervisors who receive information regarding such acts should immediately notify their Department Director, or the City Attorney’s office or City Manager’s office. The Assistant City Manager is responsible to follow up on reports of workplace violence.

If the complaint involves the employee’s supervisor or someone in the direct line of supervision, or if the employee, for any reason, is uncomfortable working with his or her immediate supervisor, the employee may go to any other person listed above.

Complaints may be made at any time, day or night. If a complaint needs to be made after normal business hours (24 hours a day), please call a City Attorney at 864-3181, 589-3197, 450-4900, or 391-7733. A complaint need not be limited to someone who was the target of workplace violence.